Wilderness Survival 2013

Surviving in the Sierra Nevada Mountains with no sleeping bags, no tents, and little food is tough! This semester's Wilderness Survival (offered through Pomona PE) class took on the challenge!

The class traveled to the lower Sierra Nevada Mountains near Kernville, CA. After surviving their mock train wreck, the students hiked about five miles north to escape the simulated forest fire! After they safely found the raging Kern River, they decided to hunker down and make a base camp for three days until Search and Rescue found them.

While camping near the water the students made traps, snares and solar stills to capture water from the earth. There was also a lot of emphasis on wild edible plants and even a scrumptious rainbow trout cooked over a campfire. Much of the learning took place in a hands-on, experiential method such as uses primitive skills to survive such as making friction fires for warmth, building shelters and creating cordage and rope from plant materials. On the second day, the class saw some kayakers floating by on the Kern River. Turns out it was Jonah Grubb PO'16 with the new campus kayaking club, First Descent!

The stars were crystal clear and made for great lessons on navigation at night by way of constellations. For more pictures from this spring’s Wilderness Survival trip click HERE

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